Greatest Examples Of A Fighter Losing His Hunger

A lot of modern heavyweights who seem to have put on massive amounts of flab around their bodies. I don't know if its lack of hunger or what..but it's pathetic. Chris Arreola being a prime example.

I think another fighter is Kelly Pavlik. After beating Taylor for the title, he became a party animal and a hometown alchoholic...he seems to have lost his hunger since his rise to the top.

 

insert obvious joke here

 

duran is a good shout

i honestly think hagler lost it for the leonard fight. he was hungry for reputation and money but not the same as the spartan he was before

ali for sure past zaire and especially past the 3rd frazier fight

mike tyson post prison had no real desire or determination

meldrick taylor post chavez 1

 

I don't think Taylor lost his hunger after Chavez, he just sustained a career-turning beating. Not to mention the move up in weight not helping matters at all. The beating he got from Espana was absolutely brutal.

 

samuel peter

 

You sure he wasn't simply exposed for the basic 1-2 plodder he always has been?

 

There are plenty of examples, but some that arent normally thought of but might be good examples:

Michael Spinks - A warrior and an all time great, but by the time Tyson came around, i think he had had enough (and while i am not saying he tanked) I dont think he had the desire to win the fight and still rule the world anymore.

Oliver McCall - Obviously was focused and wanted to beat Lennox the first time. By the time of the second fight, it is safe to say that he had other things on his mind and didnt really care one way or the other.

Peter Jackson - Ripped through all the best fighters of his time, but eventually the colour line robbed him of his desire to become the world champion and his desire was definitely gone by the time he fought Jeffries.

Max Schmelling - beat Joe Louis and was one of the best of his time, but by the time of the Louis rematch, he had lost all desire to fight, particularly with hitler championing him as the prototype for racial superiority. He could very easily have dramatically changed history if he still had the desire by the time of the Louis rematch.

 

Unfair.

Schmeling totaly turned up to win, and was actualy prety cocky.

Louis just found Schmelings weak link, and repaid the compliment of the first fighgt.

 

Wrong. Louis beat a GREAT version of Max Schmeling

 

Duran and Frietas both refused to take their beatings like men,so knowone ranks higher than them Durans will always be in a class by himself there especially the way he ran his mouth about Ray Leonard and his wife he got what he deserved.The way Hagler walked away from the sport bitter and frustrated,was sour to me,also after Mancini killed DooKoo Kim,he was never the same and he wanted to quit,Tyson took the hunger out of Spinks

 

Mike Tyson
Rocky Balboa

 

Riddick Bowe seems an obvious one

 

^this much more than anything that had to do with drinking or whatever.

 

foreman after the Ali fight.
Frazier after the first Ali fight?